Manchester City are now evens to sign John Terry

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John Terry is now evens to be at Manchester City by the time the transfer window shuts after the Citizens last night confirmed the capture of another Big Four player, Carlos Tevez.

Sky Bet still make Chelsea 8/11 favourites to keep the England captain, who has on numerous occasions in the past vowed never to leave Stamford Bridge, but are offering their shortest price yet on the 28-year-old moving.

Posted: July 14th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 3 Comments

Manchester United can close to within a point of the title

Wigan/Manchester Utd, 8pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Steve Bruce has made his annual “we won’t roll over against Manchester United speech” - a speech he probably wouldn’t have to make if it didn’t keep happening - but to say the bookmakers are unconvinced would be an understatement. With the home win available at 14.5 on Betfair, even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans won’t be holding out too much hope. Here are five stats about tonight’s game:

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1. Wigan have lost all eight of their meetings with Manchester United.

2. Steve Bruce’s side have lost just two of their last 12 games at the JJB but have won just two of their last 15 league games.

3. The Latics have taken just one point from their four home games against the top five sides (two points from nine games overall) and they conceded four times against both Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Posted: May 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Where Manchester United are most likely to drop six points

chickendinner provide the straws for Liverpool fans to clutch

Paddy Power think the title race is over and offer just 1/14 on Manchester United winning for the third straight season. To stop them, Liverpool must win all their remaining games and hope that the Red Devils drop six points. It’s all very unlikely but rather than accepting a premature end to an exciting campaign, we decided to look at where the holders are most likely to slip up:

Tottenham (h)
Spurs are unbeaten in six league meetings with the Big Four sides and have lost just one away game against a top-half side. Harry Redknapp’s side have lost one of their last nine and he has won there with West Ham and Portsmouth. Spurs haven’t won an away league match against a Big Four side since August 1993 - when they beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield.
Verdict: United could drop two points here but three is unlikely.

Middlesbrough (a)

Posted: April 23rd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment

Statistics on tonight’s other five Premier League matches

Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal prepare for a game of catch-up

While Sky’s focus is on West Ham and Hull’s battle for mid-table position, there is plenty of excitement to be had elsewhere. Liverpool and Chelsea are in action, Arsenal travel to Everton and Sam Allardyce hosts old club Bolton. Here are all the key statistics you need to know for betting on those games:

Blackburn v Bolton
Sam Allardyce will look to continue his six match unbeaten run as Blackburn manager with victory over former club Bolton. Last season he triumphed over the Trotters while at Newcastle and he beat the Magpies earlier this month with Blackburn. Rovers are unbeaten in four against Bolton, winning three. Five of the last seven meetings between the two at Ewood Park have featured under 2.5 goals but all three of their home games since Allardyce arrived have featured three or more goals.

Chelsea v Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough are on a run of ten league games without a win. The last time they went that long without tasting victory they triumphed over previously unbeaten Arsenal in their next match. However, Middlesbrough haven’t scored in any of their last six visits to Stamford Bridge and were beaten 5-0 at home by them earlier this season.

Everton v Arsenal

Posted: January 28th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Make money as Manchester United look to climb to second

Click here for all the best odds on tonight’s Premier League game

Following Manchester United’s victory over title rivals Chelsea, chickendinner correspondent Danny Harris can’t see Wigan triumphing at Old Trafford despite their brilliant recent form. Here are some of the best bets available for the game:

» Cristiano Ronaldo has scored six goals in four league appearances against Wigan so the 11/10 offered by 888sport that he scores at any time is a decent bet.

» Wigan have lost all seven meetings with Manchester United in the league and in the Carling Cup final with an aggregate of 22-3 so expect United to grab a few goals. The champions have already kept twelve Premier League clean sheets this term and have let in the least goals in the league, going nearly thirteen hours without conceding so don’t be surprised if Edwin van der Sar isn’t beaten again. Wigan have also conceded more Premier League goals to United than to any other club so a 3-0 home win at 7/1 or 4-0 victory at 12/1 (both with 888sport) are decent bets.

Posted: January 14th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

The Premier League’s best English manager meets Harry Redknapp in the FA Cup

Tottenham/Wigan, 8pm, Setanta Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

While a quick browse of most newspapers would give you the impression that Harry Redknapp was single-handedly saving the reputation of English managers, the reality is that Steve Bruce is currently the most successful having guided Wigan into seventh place.

The Latics are top of the Premier League form table with five wins in their last six while Spurs are nearer the bottom having won just once over that period but recent league results could be turned on their head in the FA Cup.

Wigan’s 3-0 win over Sunderland last year was their first over Premier League competition in the competition while Spurs have a good recent record in the cups and are of course managed by the FA Cup holding manager.

Posted: January 2nd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment